Topic 1

Sept. 5th: Get Google Sites Working

Overview: We will be using Marlboro's Google Apps account "Sites" function to build our efolio. In this unit you will get Marlboro's Google Sites up and running so you can build a site.You can use any template of your choice. We will be able to change templates, colors and navigation later and not effect any of your content. In this first template you don't need to have any content.

To-Dos before 2nd Class.

Look at each of the below Personal Portfolio Examples below. Think about what you might like for a site.

Topic 2

Sept. 12th: Alpha (early draft) version of your site.

OverviewWe will start to make new pages in our site this week and learn as we learn to use Google Sites. We'll also learn more about making good links, writing for the web in the active voice, and how to use lists and headers better. Don't worry too much about what the site looks like now. We will also add a few new pages and content, if applicable to your site, such as rough drafts of a: bio, resume, a headshot, etc.

Bio writing: Bios are good at about 100-500 words. Remember, they are not a biography, but a bio, which is shorter. Bios are generally in the third person, but can be in any voice if it works to convey they message you want to users of your site. Here's a Bio how-to and example. Here's a bio template.

Topic 3

Sept.19th: Photography for the Web

How to Get Better Photos

In this unit you will learn how to take better photos for the Web. Our goal will be to end up with a new, and excellent, photo for the home page of your Website. This photo can be a headshot of yourself, or a shot of something else that relates to your site.

Basic camera controls

Composition theory using the Rule of Thirds

Lighting theory using natural light and Three Point Lighting

Activities

In a quite place with good speakers or headphones read the Photography Basics, Composition and Lighting section of the Photo Video Basic Skills Tutorial. Please watch every video and click on every link.

After you absorb the information on the above page, watch a movie, TV show, or play a visually rich computer game while you think about what you have learned about composition, lighting and sound.

Start to carry a point and shoot digital camera everywhere you can. Take a lot of photos and video, and try buttons you never have.

Memorize that there are 72 pixels, or Dots, per inch (DPI) for all dimensions of photos and video on computer screens. So, 144 pixels wide is 2 inches. This is important when making photos a certain size, since most camera take HUGE photos at about 3000+ pixels wide. Photos need to be sized before upload, to at least an approximate size, or slightly larger, then you want to use.

Practice using "crop" "size" and "auto correct" in an editing program like Picassa, iPhoto, Photoshop, or the online photo editor, Picnik.com.

Assignments

Post any questions or problems to the "Help" forum at the top of the class.

Complete the below assignments by pasting in the links and/or text requested.

Topic 4

Sept. 26th: CRAPpy Design

Basic design skills have not been changed much by the Web. For media with text and images/graphics/videos, the most basic lesson in design C.R.A.P.It applies to web pages, resumes, posters, magazines, posters, business cards, etc.

Contrast: Make different elements very different. The eye goes to high contrast. Bold a header, but not the entire body text.

Repetition: Repeat visual elements. If you use an 16 point black header once, use it every time for the same content.

Alignment: Nothing is arbitrarily placed on the page: Use a grid and whenever possible, line up the edges of elements.

Proximity: Related items should be placed close together. Blur your eyes, can you see the "chunks" of information separated on your page by spaces?

Topic 5

Oct. 3rd: Color

Colors is often ignored, but they have meaning and send messages! Colors work together to convey moods and messages. It is recommended that you have 3 to 4 purposefully picked colors in any design that form a "color palette." The palettes are very established, but the colors are up to you!

Topic 6

Oct. 10th: Workshop Beta

Each student will show their site on the projector. We'll each offer constructive criticism on what we've learned about design, photography and color.

Topic 7

Oct. 24th: Usability Testing

Usability Testing: "A technique used to evaluate a product by testing it with representative users." - useit.com

The hardest part of creating anything that is designed to be used by humans, is testing with actual humans. Web media is no different. Research and best practices show that about 5 representative users can expose a majority of problems with almost any website. - Source